I’m told that back in the day, we plant eaters had to make our own veggie burgers and milk our own nut milks. Now, if we want to make our own veggie burgers and strain soaked almonds through our nut milk bags, so be it–but we have choices. These choices allow us to be lazy vegans if we want to, but they also allow for people with tons of expertise (aka food scientists or professional chefs) to develop and refine ingredient combinations that the average vegan just doesn’t have time for.

Of course I think it’s wonderful to enjoy a whole foods, plant-based diet, but I think it’s a huge step in the right direction that we vegans can be lazy if we so choose, and are able to pick up packaged vegan foods as easily as omnivores. In the past, vegans wanting legit-tasting, cruelty-free mayo had to enjoy Veganaise (which isn’t bad, but isn’t great either) or make their own from scratch. Now, we have Just Mayo by Hampton Creek Foods, which offers a superior-tasting vegan mayonnaise that really behaves like it should–thick, creamy, slightly tangy and easily spreadable. Hampton Creek Foods’ team of very talented food chefs and scientists were no doubt involved in its creation! Learn more about the development process on Our Hen House’s podcast featuring Hampton Creek Foods CEO Josh Tetrick.

I tried Hampton Creek Foods mayo on Silver Hills gluten-free vegan sandwich bread. It went so well with the avocado, tempeh and tomato fillings! I also love that Hampton Creek Foods is getting national attention. You can check out just a bit of the press they’re getting here, here and here. Oh, and did I mention Bill Gates is one of their investors? You KNOW this company is going places. Perhaps what I love the most about Hampton Creek Foods products is that their target demographic actually isn’t us vegans–it’s omnivores, and their smart marketing campaigns use verbiage that make it very easy to see a new possibility for the millions of chickens who are abused, enslaved, and lose their lives in order to create mayonnaise for someone. This is a very promising path to the future, indeed.

Hampton Creek Foods also sent their Chipotle Mayo (which was not my bag but I could see others loving it) and their “Eat The Dough” gluten-free vegan cookie dough. Absolutely awesome cookie dough, I can’t wait to grab some in stores at some point.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary in Deer Trail, CO. Approximately 1.5 hours drive from Boulder, Peaceful Prairie provides a safe, loving home to rescued farm animals. Having hit upon hard times–their main well and cisterns froze and broke in the recent cold spell–Peaceful Prairie is currently doing a fundraising campaign to get back on their feet. During the tour, we learned that they’re slowly recovering (though they definitely still need help!) and it was an honor and a privilege to get to meet some of the human volunteers who run the sanctuary, as well as some of the gorgeous non-human animals who make the sanctuary their home.

Here are some pictures of the non-human friends we had the pleasure of meeting at Peaceful Prairie:

During the tour, I heard the story of a lovely goat who was rescued a few weeks ago by the sanctuary. Originally “owned” by an organic, “feel-good” goat dairy farm, this goat was only a few years old but had already had 6 kids (all of whom were stolen from her) and was “spent”–meaning she could no longer produce milk that could be commodified by humans.

At the time of rescue, she had a severe eye infection and parasites that were left untreated because–now here’s what’s so important to convey–organic farms aren’t allowed to use antibiotics to treat their animals.

This is a horrible reality that must be shared with vegetarians and omnivores who purchase and consume cow or goat dairy from these so-called “feel-good” organic farms as an alternative to animal products from factory farms. There’s nothing “feel-good” about them for the animals who suffer. I am grateful this goat was rescued and to be able to pass on this crucial info.

Sanctuaries like Peaceful Prairie are a fantastic and important reminder to me of why I am vegan–seeing rescued animals always motivates to try harder and do more for the animals. Eating a vegan diet and telling others about being vegan are important steps, but there’s always so much more we can do. Interacting with the non-human animals for whom I choose this delicious, easy, and extremely rewarding lifestyle known as veganism is such a pleasure.